


Flowers of Death

by kuki



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Drug Use, Explicit Sexual Content, First Time, Hanahaki Disease, Homeless Keith, M/M, Mutual Pining, Past Keith/Shiro - Freeform, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-10
Updated: 2017-07-10
Packaged: 2018-11-19 13:37:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11314503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kuki/pseuds/kuki
Summary: It's been a few months since Shiro was pronounced dead, and it didn't seem like Keith felt anything. It wasn't the right time for Lance to be falling in love with him, but there he was, coughing up flowers every time Keith did something that put him in danger.





	Flowers of Death

Keith and Lance had never really been friends, so Lance wasn’t sure what made him start worrying about the guy. He was rude, and totally antisocial, which to be fair he’d had a rough life. It had only been two months since guys in military uniform had told him that his boyfriend Shiro was KIA. Shiro had been the only person in the world that actually gave a damn about him, or so Keith thought.

Lance and Keith had the same group of friends, so they spent a lot of time together. They were always at each other’s throats, so Lance didn’t really like him, but he didn’t want him to die. One of those people in his life. It was obvious that the boy had been avoiding not just him, but Pidge and Hunk too. They just wanted to be there for him, and he was making it so hard.

A week, that’s how long Keith was out after he found out about Shiro. When he came back to school it was almost as if nothing had happened, or worse, that Keith didn’t even care that Shiro was gone. Keith didn’t even go to Shiro’s funeral.

“You’re looking for him again.” Pidge stabbed at the mystery meat on their tray as they stared him pointedly. “He’s not here.”

“What? I’m not…” Lance looked at them, stopping his search around the cafeteria.

“No one is more transparent than you are bro. Why don’t you just tell him that you like him?” Hunk smiled at him, tilting his head to the side.

“Even if I did like him, which I don’t, now is not the time to try to get into a relationship with him.” He rolled his eyes at them before looking around the room again. Keith had been spending almost every lunch period in the library, and when he didn’t, he never got any food. “He’s probably still not over Shiro.”

“He seems fine to me.” Pidge bit off a chunk of the meat and grimaced.

“He’s not. He’s bottling up and avoiding us.” Lance slammed a hand down on the table, making both of his friends stare at him with wide eyes. “He’s going to get into something stupid again.”

“Then you should go talk to him, even if it’s not about your crush.”

“Pidge is right dude. I’ve tried talking to him, Pidge has talked to him.” Hunk huffed. “Allura even talked to him, and you know she feels about him. You’re the only one of his friends who hasn’t tried to…”

“I’ve tried talking to him plenty of times!”

“About Shiro?”

“Uh, no?”

Both of them just nodded and he sighed, agreeing to try to talk to him. It wasn’t going to get anywhere, but Lance wasn’t going to try to fight against the harsh look Pidge had given him.

Lance didn’t see Keith the rest of the day, other than the senior seminar that they had together right after lunch. He spent most of the period staring at Keith, wondering if he was wearing what he had on the day before. They were talking about future goals and Lance didn’t care what most of his classmates planned to do after their last year of high school was over.

“Military.” Lance huffed, looking up at the board and the tally marks that would probably be used for some bullshit statistic about the school’s success rates. “Don’t know which branch yet.”

While the teacher made a mark on the board, Lance noticed that Keith was staring at him. The other boy looked so heartbroken, which made Lance’s chest hurt. He gave him a smile, deciding that it was definitely the same clothes as the day before.

After class, Keith rushed out and Lance groaned. He just wanted to talk to the mullet head, and he was just making this so much harder.

“So, are you joining us to study for that calc test?” Pidge asked as they walked out of the building. The question was directed at Lance, since Hunk and them had been talking about it all day.

“Nah, I’m going to head over to Keith’s place.” He shrugged, gripping the strap of his backpack. “Hopefully he’ll open up.”

Lance felt a tightness in his chest as he walked to Keith’s apartment. It was actually Shiro’s apartment, but Keith had moved in the second he had aged out of foster care. With Shiro gone, it was probably really lonely.

A woman answered the door and he stared at her, and she stared back at him. “Uh, hello? Is… Is Keith here?”

“No? I don’t know any Keith. You must have…” She frowned at him.

“No! This is his apartment, he…”

“He must’ve moved out. I moved in a little over a month ago. I’m sorry.” Then she shut the door in face.

“No, wait!” Lance groaned when he heard the deadbolt lock. “Fuck.”

As he walked home, he called Keith’s number, but an electronic voice told him that the number was disconnected. He checked with Pidge and Hunk to see if maybe he had the wrong number for him, but he didn’t.

“Keith, buddy. You’re making it so hard to help you.” Lance faked sobbed as he looked over the texts from his friends that they hadn’t actually heard from him for over a month.

His chest still hurt that night when he went to bed, but he just went to bed. Hours later he woke up, coughing. He covered his mouth, as pain seared him from the inside. Once the coughing was over, it wasn’t a particular long fit, he turned on his bed side lap. What he saw in his hand made him feel sick.

Blood and red flower petals.

“I don’t know him well enough to love him.” Lance groaned as he got out of bed to clean up. There was no way he wasn’t going to try to hide it as long as possible.

While he was getting ready for school, his sisters pounding on the door of the bathroom, he had another fit. Lance had been thinking of how he was going to confront Keith about his new discovers when it started. He managed to cough the flowers and the blood into the toilet, it was easy to hide the evidence. His sisters didn’t even bother asking if he was alright when he finally came out, just started fighting over who got to go next.

He stood by Keith’s locker waiting for him. Even with the petals, there was no way he was telling Keith how he felt. It was too soon.

“You don’t look so hot.” Keith said as he opened up his locker. Lance looked him up and down and frowned.

“You’re wearing the same clothes you’ve been wearing for two days.”

Keith froze, his head obscured by the locker door.

“And I went to your apartment last night, someone else lives there now. And your number is disconnected.” Lance moved the door so he could see Keith’s face. The other boy looked like Lance had just slapped him. “What’s going on with you?”

He swallowed hard, glancing at Lance slightly. “Promise you won’t tell anyone else?”

Lance crossed his arms and nodded. Keith shut his locker and started walking away. The hallway was so crowded. Keith stopped, leaning in a corner of the courtyard that was obscured by a poorly maintained tree.

“What is it?” Lance smiled at him, trying to reassure him.

“When Shiro died, his parents threw me out of the apartment, canceled the lease. They shut down our phone plan.” Keith covered his face and took a few deep breaths. “I’ve been bouncing between shelters…”

Swallowing hard as he felt that tickle in his throat and the pain in his chest that came with a coughing fit, he reached out and pulled Keith in for a tight hug. It had been no secret that Shiro’s parents disapproved of their son’s ‘life style’ and hated Keith with a passion. “Why the hell didn’t you say anything?”

“I-I… I didn’t want you guys to…” Keith gripped Lance’s jacket as he buried his face in Lance’s neck. “Please don’t tell anyone else, please.”

“Your secret is safe with me.” Lance pulled back, swallowing down another cough. “Why don’t you come over sometime soon, do a load of laundry. I’ll tell my mom that the washers at your apartment are all busted.”

Keith nodded, jumping up and wrapping his arms around his neck. “Thank you Lance.”

They broke apart when the bell rang and Keith bolted. Lance didn’t move from his spot. He hadn’t been tardy in a while, so he could stay in the secluded spot to finally let out the flower petals he had been holding back.

At lunch, Keith sat with them. He didn’t say much, only answering questions related to school, but Lance noticed that he didn’t have any food in front of him. Lance finished half of his food before he pushed his tray in front of Keith. Keith tried to protest, but Lance just got up and went to the bathroom to cough again.

Two days and Lance managed to keep his condition a secret. Keith had finally changed clothes but…

“Did Keith seem… high to you guys?” Pidge asked after school while they were working on a group project for their history class.

Hunk hummed and then nodded.

He had looked high, but Lance didn’t want to believe that he was using again, not after everything Shiro went through to get him off drugs. Lance opened his mouth to protest that there was no way, but he coughed instead. The coughing racked through him for a while, and Hunk and Pidge were both frozen as they watched as blood and petals came with each cough.

“How long?” Pidge asked when Lance finally stopped, tears streaming down his cheeks. Hunk grabbed a box of tissues and started to wipe at Lance’s face.

“A few days, since I went to go see Keith.” He closed his eyes tightly. “It’s the worst when I find out that something’s wrong.”

“You still haven’t talked to him about Shiro.” Hunk stared wiping up the petals that were on the floor. “What’s been going on with him?”

“I promised that I wouldn’t tell.” Lance brought his hands up to cover his face, but Hunk took his wrists and started to clean the blood off of them.

“You need to tell him about your feelings, unless you’re going to get the surgery.” Pidge looked at him seriously.

“He’s still…” He doubled over as he coughed again. It was only three coughs, and when it was over there was blood dripping down his chin. “I can’t ask him to like me back so soon after Shiro…”

“Lance, but what about you? Are you planning on dying over him?” Pidge’s voice was uncharacteristically soft.

“I-I…” Lance finally covered his face with his hands. “I just want to help him.”

“Are you on drugs… again?” Lance asked him, they had paired together to do a worksheet for their stupid seminar class. Keith bit his lip.

“I-I…” He sighed and looked up at Lance through his bangs. “I had to spend the night on the street the other night, and the guys I was with offered.”

“Was it just a onetime thing, or…?”

“I’ve been trying, but after that first one…”

“Keith, if Shiro was here…”

“He isn’t.” Keith scoffed, not looking at Lance. “Shiro is gone.”

“Keith…”

“Drop it Lance.” Keith glared at him. “I’m trying my best, but I’m on my own.”

“No, you’re not, you’re not on your own.” Lance glared right back at him. He opened his mouth to keep talking, but he couldn’t stop the coughing fit.

“No… Lance!” Keith’s voice cracked as he moved so he was kneeling in front of Lance. “Lance, fuck…”

Everyone else in the room was frozen, until Keith turned to the teacher, shouting that she call an ambulance immediately. She nodded, fumbling as she first called 911 and then the office.

Lance felt so weak when he finally stopped coughing. It had been the longest fit he had since they had started. Him and Keith were both covered in his blood. Keith was still holding him. He wanted to talk to him, reassure him that he was alright, but his throat was too raw to say anything.

When paramedics came in, Keith finally let him go. Lance didn’t want him too, but he groggily looked at the medics, trying to answer their questions. He didn’t want to go to the hospital. He didn’t want to have to tell his parents.

His parents rushed to him once he finished talking to the doctors at the hospital. He let his mom hug him, reassuring her that he was okay.

“Are you going to get the surgery?” She frowned at him and touched his hair gently.

He shook his head. “I don’t want to stop loving him…”

“Who?”

“Keith…” Lance looked away, letting out a small few coughs. “Mama, he’s homeless right now, he’s using again…”

“Lance, why didn’t you say anything? All you had to do was ask and he could’ve stay with us.” His dad said, his arms crossed across his chest. His tone wasn’t as soft as his words.

Lance started another long, painful coughing fit. His dad stepped out to call for a nurse while his mom soothed his hair and shushed him.

After his parents left, he called Pidge and Hunk. Both said they hadn’t seen Keith, apologizing for not being able to come in and visit. They assured him that they’d make sure Keith saw him the next day.

It was lunch time when Keith came into the hospital, he had a split lip and a black eye. Lance wanted to glare at him, or yell at him, but he just doubled over as he coughed.

“You idiot.” Keith sighed as he sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing his back while he waited for Lance to stop coughing. Once it was over, Lance finally glared up at him. He let out a surprised noise when lips collided with his. Tears were streaming down Keith’s cheek when he pulled back. “You idiot.”

“What about…” Lance’s voice was hoarse as he spoke.

“What about Shiro?” Keith sighed as he pressed his forehead against Lance’s. Lance’s blood was smeared on Keith’s mouth. “I had Hanahaki’s… when they told me about Shiro, I coughed so hard I passed out.”

“What? Did you…?” Lance brought his hands up to run his fingers through Keith’s hair.

“When I woke up, I was in some shady doctor’s office. His parents were talking to a guy in a lab coat.” Keith grimaced and Lance frowned at him. “It was gone, the flowers… everything I felt for Shiro, just like they wanted…”

Lance’s eyes went wide as he pulled Keith closer. “I’m sorry, so sorry. This explains so much.”

“He’s gone, and I don’t feel anything.” Keith was sobbing now.

They sat there holding each other until a nurse came in. She smiled at them, asking Lance how he was feeling, trying to confirm that it was gone. They were going to run a test to be sure, but he’d be released as soon as he was all cleared.

“So, what happened to your face?” Lance gently touched the bruise around Keith’s eye. Keith took Lance’s hand and sighed.

“The guys I got those drugs from, wanted money. They came into the shelter, and now I’m banned from both of them.”

“That doesn’t matter.” Lance kissed him gently. “My parents said that you could stay with us. I still need to talk to them about it, but…”

Keith swallowed hard, closing his eyes. “You told them…”

“The things you were into before Shiro, they’re not exactly a secret…” Lance sighed, touching Keith’s cheek. “They don’t care, they just want to help you.”

Nodding, Keith leaned in to kiss him. “I liked you, pretty much since we’ve met. It was never enough to be Hanahaki’s bad, and I was so fucked up back then… and then I met Shiro…”

“I really am sorry, about what they did to you. Shiro was so good for you, I know how much he loved you.” Lance smiled at him. “You should go back to school.”

“I’m not leaving you.”

Keith was still there, but he had fallen asleep in the chair, when Lance’s parents came to pick him up to take him home. Lance shook Keith’s shoulder and smiled at him sadly when he tensed and brought his hands up to defend himself.

“You alright?” Lance asked once Keith calmed down.

“Yeah, sorry…”

Lance’s mom walked over and smiled at Keith. “You ready to come home?”

Keith stared at her, his eyes wide.

“There are things we’ll need to discuss, but you’re welcome to stay in our home as long as you need, even if you and Lance…”

“Thank you.” Keith nodded, smiling at her.

Lance’s parents left them alone once they were home, saying they’d talk after dinner. Keith had been in Lance’s room before, but always with Shiro or Hunk and Pidge. He looked around like he was afraid to touch anything.

“They’re letting us share a room?” Keith glanced at the unopened box of condoms sitting next to Lance’s bed, and the mostly empty bottle of lube.

“We’re both adults, and we can’t get pregnant.” Lance blushed as he put his hands behind his head. “Though, I’m sure part of the talk we’re going to have involves STD tests.”

“Great.” Keith crossed his arms.

Lance sighed and took a few steps towards him. “Make yourself comfortable. I’m going to grab a shower.”

When Lance came out of the shower in just a towel, Keith had moved to lay back on Lance’s bed. He looked so comfortable. Lance didn’t want to disturb him, but Keith sat up when Lance opened one of his drawers.

“Do you mind if I get a shower… I-I…” Keith wasn’t actually looking at Lance, but Lance chuckled.

“Keith, you live here now. You don’t have to ask.” Lance smiled at him. “Just don’t use my sister’s stuff, or she’ll kill you. I’ll show you which is mine as soon as I get dressed.”

“Do you want me to…” Keith motioned towards the door, his face going red. Lance chuckled.

“I don’t mind either way, but if you’re not comfortable…”

Keith smirked at him. “I’m not. It’s just, you’re new to this whole relationship thing… and…”

Lance gave him and unimpressed look and dropped his towel. Keith’s eyes wandered up and down him, going bright red, even his ears and neck were red. He got up and walked over to Lance.

“C-Can… can I…” Keith motioned at Lance’s body. Lance nodded, his eyes locked with Keith’s.

When Keith’s hand touched Lance’s bare hip, Lance shuddered. Keith pressed closer as he kissed him. Lance brought his arms up and wrapped them around Keith’s shoulders. He let out a breathy moan when Keith ran his other hand down his back.

“How far do you plan on going with me tonight?” Lance whispered in Keith’s ear.

“As far as you’re willing to let me.” Keith kissed under Lance’s jaw then moved his lips to gently bite at his neck.

Lance moaned again, squeezing Keith closer. He closed his eyes tightly. “You sure? I’ve never done anything… _anything_ before…”

“I don’t mind that you’re inexperienced.” Keith pulled back to smile at him. “I just don’t want to feel like I’m pressuring you.”

Lance searched Keith’s face and frowned. “Are you high, right now?”

Swallowing hard, Keith looked away. “Yeah. Sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize, just… I just want to do this with you when you’re sober.”

“I get it, it’s okay.” Keith pulled his hands-off Lance, holding them up. “Finish getting dressed.”

After Keith showered, putting on some of Lance’s clothes because he had left all of his in his locker at school, they laid on Lance’s bed. They were talking about things, their feelings mostly.

“Have you cried, for Shiro?” Lance smiled at him sadly after Keith trailed off when Shiro came into his story about his feelings for Lance.

“No.” He closed his eyes and sighed. “When I cried the first time, when I first time… my first thought was ‘what was going to happen to me without him?’ Then… I cried when I realized the feelings were gone… because when he was deployed, those feelings were the only thing keeping me out of drugs and fighting.”

Lance kissed his forehead. “You were doing so well for a while. He’d be proud of you.”

“I hope so.” Keith took a few deep breaths. “Tomorrow, after school, can we… can we go see him? I haven’t been to his grave yet, I’ve been afraid I’d run into his family.”

“I’ll be right with you.”

“Thank you.”

The front door opened and Lance sat up as he heard his sisters yelling about dinner. His dad then yelled that there was pizza. Lance dragged Keith down stairs. One of Lance’s sisters excited asked if they could braid Keith’s hair and he smiled at them awkwardly before looking at Lance for the right answer. Lance’s parents were uncharacteristically quiet.

After dinner, Lance’s parents sent his sisters to their rooms, telling Keith and Lance to stay where they were. Keith swallowed hard, looking down at his lap waiting for them to say something.

“Keith, our son cares about you deeply, and from what he’s told us… you really need all the support you can get.” Lance’s mom smiled at him. “We’re happy to have you here.”

“But, we also know the kind of things you’re into.” Lance’s dad’s tone was firm. “There won’t be any drugs in this house. If you can’t stop so easily, fine, but I won’t have you bringing them to the house. I’d prefer if you’d stop. I hate seeing kids ruin their lives.”

Keith looked a little shocked when he looked up at the man. He nodded with a small smile on his face. “I understand… thank you…”

“Now, while we are happy to have you here… it…” Lance’s mom frowned and looked at her husband, who nodded at her encouragingly. “If there was some way you could help out… whether its chores or…”

“I-I… I had a part time job, but I had to quit because… because the hours conflicted with check in times with the shelters. My boss said whenever I could…” Keith glanced at Lance, who smiled at him and put a hand on his knee encouragingly. “I could pay you something…”

“No, we don’t want your money. Keep it, save up for a place of your own.” Lance’s father stood up and smiled.

Keith nodded again. “Thank you. I really appreciate it…”

Lance’s father squeazed Keith’s shoulder before going out to the living room. Lance stood up, telling his mother that him and Keith would clean up. Before she left, Keith hugged her tightly, thanking her again.

When they were back in bed, Keith cuddled up close to Lance. “To think, you almost dying is what saved me.”

Lance chuckled and pulled him close. “Promise me you’ll try to quit.”

“I’ll try.”

Pidge and Hunk have a thousand questions the next day at school. They were particularly interested with why Keith was wearing Lance’s clothes. Both of them tried to stammer out that they hadn’t done anything.

Lance stood a few feet back while Keith sat down at Shiro’s grave, tracing the letter engraved on the stone. Keith was saying something quietly, an apology, but Lance was trying not to listen in as he looked around the grave yard. When he looked back at Keith, the boy was crying as he stood back up. Holding him tightly, Lance smiled at the gravestone. “I’ll take care of him, promise.”

They talked about their future plans, and Keith cried when Lance reiterated that he wanted to join the military. It made sense, Keith had lost his first love to the military, and he didn’t want to lose Lance too. Lance asked him what he should do instead, and Keith laughed through his tears, telling him he’d get back to him about it.

Sometimes, not every day, but sometimes, Lance asked him if he was high. Usually the answer was no, but sometimes the answer was yes. Keith always looked so ashamed, but Lanced just kissed him and told him that it was okay. Pidge thought they were gross and Hunk thought they were sweet.

It had been two weeks since the last time Keith had answered yes to the question, and Lance smiled at him. He kissed him hard as he pulled him on top of him. Keith brought his brows together as he looked down at Lance. They had been doing sexual things, hand jobs mostly, but a few blow jobs.

Lance chuckled, twirling a lock of Keith’s hair. “I want you, I’m ready.”

Nodding, Keith kissed down his jaw, breathing on his neck as he slipped his hands under Lance’s shirt. “How do you want to do it?”

Then Lance’s face when red and he whined nervously. “I-I… I don’t know? How do you?”

Keith shook his head. “No, this is your first time, you get to choose.”

“What are my options here? What do you recommend?” Lance swallowed hard.

“Well, you could put your cock in me, or I could mine in yours….” Keith pressed their dicks together, making Lance let out a moan. “I’d recommend giving for a first time, but if you want me to take you, I promise I’ll take care of you.”

Nodding, Lance pulled him down to kiss him again. He wrapped his legs around Keith and pulled him down closer. “I trust you.”

Keith smiled at him, pulling back to take off his shirt. Lance did the same, awkwardly since he was still on his back. The other boy just rolled his eyes at him before touching Lance’s chest. They kissed for a long time before Keith pulled off Lance’s pants. Lance was going insane.

Lance let out a surprised squeak when Keith touched his hole. Keith chuckled as he apologized. “You still good?”

“Yeah… just…”

“Hand me the lube?” Keith nodded towards the side table. The box of condoms was open now, they had used a few for blowjobs, but that had gotten hold quick, especially after Keith finally gave in and got a clean STD test. Lance fumbled with it before handing it to the other boy.

His head rolled back and his hands balled up in the sheets when Keith pushing his finger inside of him. It felt so good.

“Have you done this to yourself?” Keith huffed as he kissed the inside of Lance’s thigh.

“Yeah, usually in the shower…” Lance arched up when Keith’s finger flexed inside of him.

“How many fingers do you usually put in?”

“Two… h-how many are you going to put in?” Lance sat up slightly, resting on his elbows, so he could look at Keith who didn’t stop working his hole.

“Three. My dick’s a little bigger than just two fingers.” Keith chuckled before moving so he was kissing Lance. While they were kissing, Lance felt a second finger enter. Keith was going to wreck him before he even got finished opening him up.

When Keith was satisfied with how loosened Lance was, he pulled his own pants off and reached for the box of condoms. Lance caught his hand and smiled at him sheepishly. “I’ve heard it feels better without.”

“It does. Are you sure?” Keith looked at his face, watching him nod. “Do you want me to pull out or…”

“I-I kind of want you to come in me…” Lance’s face was so red and Keith smiled as he kissed him. While they kissed, Keith moved them so his dick was properly lube up and aligned at Lance’s whole.

“You ready?” Keith pressed his forehead against Lance’s.

“Absolutely.” Lance let out a groan when Keith pushed in. Pleasure pulsed through him, but there was also the slightly twinge of pain from being stretched.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, just… just give me a second.” Lance’s voice was raspy as he spoke, his breathing eradict. His chest hurt, like there were flowers growing in it again, but he knew it was from something different. It was from being in loved, and knowing he was loved back, which was such a better pain.

Keith smiled down at him. “Take as long as you need.” He sounded just as out of breath.

When Lance nodded that he was ready, Keith’s movements started excruciatingly slow. Lance quickly told him that he needed more, faster. They were both a mess of curses and each other’s names as they moved together. The kisses were sloppy and they kept grabbing at each other to get the most of each other.

“I-I’m close…” Keith closed his eyes tightly as he slammed into Lance.

“M-Me too… t-touch me, please…” Lance was so far gone, he wasn’t sure what was up or down anymore. It only got worse when Keith put his hand on his dick, matching his hand’s pace to his hips.

Lance came with a loud moan, coating both of their stomachs. His entire body was tensed up, keeping him arched and unmoving. Except his ass muscles, which twitched around Keith. Keith came with a whimper, thrusting in Lance deep and slow as he emptied inside of the other boy. They collapsed together, breathing heavily.

Once they caught their breath, they kissed, soft and sweet.

“Better than I imagined.” Lance smiled at Keith as he carded his fingers through Keith’s hair.

Keith snorted, pulling out with a pop. Lance whimpered at the sensation. “I should’ve warned you how much of a pain it is to clean that out though.”

“You could almost say, it’ll be a pain in the ass.” Lance grinned, poking Keith’s cheek.

Glaring at him, Keith got off the bed. “I’m breaking up with you.”

After they showered, they laid in bed and Lance was staring at Keith. Keith huffed. “What?”

“Nothing.”

“It’s not nothing. That’s the face you have when you want to ask me something.”

Lance sighed. “Your first time, was it with Shiro?”

“Yeah…” Keith closed his eyes, looking uncomfortable.

“Oh, sorry… I…” Lance touched his cheek gently.

“No, it’s fine. I was… I was just really high, so it’s kind of a blur.” Keith took a deep breath. “I just wanted him so bad, I promised that I’d stop if he just fucked me, right there and then. I wouldn’t take no for an answer, and I wouldn’t let him take time for prep. I remember it hurting so much.”

Lance felt sick as he cupped Keith’s cheek. He didn’t know what to say.

“Shiro used to always insist that it didn’t count for our first time, that I didn’t do anything wrong, that it was his fault.” Keith looked at Lance with a frown. “But other than that time, he was always such… he really made sure I felt good after that.”

“You really did take care of me earlier, was it like that for you guys?” Lance smiled, kissing his nose.

“Yeah…” Keith smiled, it was a sad smile, but it was a smile. “I miss him so much.”

“I can only imagine. I miss him too, he was a good friend.”

It wasn’t every night that they had sex, but it seemed like it for the next few weeks. Neither of them could look at Lance’s mother for a few days after she knocked on their door one night to remind that it was school night.

A few weeks had passed, and they were doing dishes after Sunday dinner. Lance was singing along to some pop song, grinning at Keith as he danced around the kitchen between drying plates. Keith dropped the pot he had been scrubbing into the sink, drying his hands off on his pants. He pulled Lance in for a kiss and smiled.

“I love you.”

Lance’s face was bright red as he stared at Keith, nodding slowly. Once he realized Keith had meant it, he smiled back. “I love you too.”

“I know.” Keith chuckled and kissed him again.

“What do you mean ‘you know’?” Lance pouted.

“You were coughing up flowers for me, remember? It was less than a month ago? You almost died?” Keith rolled his eyes.

“Right, that...”

They were both laughing when there was a knock on the front door. Lance’s mom announced that she was getting it. It was late, too late for Hunk or Pidge to drop by without shooting a text.

“They’re in the kitchen, this way…” Lance’s mom said, her voice a little shaky.

Keith pulled away from Lance, staring at the kitchen door, waiting for it to open. First, Lance’s mom came into view, and then…

“Shiro?” Keith’s voice broke as tears fell down his cheeks.

Lance stared at the man, a lump in his throat. Shiro looked rough. There were scars on his face and his hair was prematurely grey. He was still beautiful, but Lance could see that he was worn.

“Hey…” Shiro said he walked into the kitchen, looking like he was trying to hold back tears. “I’m sorry.”

Keith ran towards him, putting his face in his chest, hitting him without much force. “You’re dead.”

“No.” Shiro wrapped his arms around Keith, resting his cheek on the top of his head. “I was missing, and they got me another soldier mixed up. I’m so sorry…”

“Shiro…” Keith whined, stopping his punches and wrapping his arms around him. “I-I…”

“You don’t have to say anything. My parents told me what they did, and it’s okay.” Shiro looked at Lance with a sad smile. “I just want to see you happy, even if it’s not with me.”

Keith pulled out of Shiro’s arms to glare up at him. “I-I…”

“Don’t say you’re sorry, because you haven’t done anything wrong. You didn’t know I was still alive…” Shiro cupped his cheek. “If my parents hadn’t done what they had, you would’ve died.”

Shaking his head, Keith closed his eyes. “At the time, it’s what I wanted.”

Shiro bent down and kissed Keith’s cheek. “I’m glad you didn’t.”

Keith was shaking with from his tears. Lance took a step forward. “Shiro, you’re…”

“He doesn’t love me anymore, and from what I can see, he’s in good hands with you.” Shiro walked over to Lance and squeezed his shoulder. “Take care of him.”

“Of course.” Lance nodded.

“Shiro…” Keith sobbed out, wiping his eyes.

Shiro took Keith’s hand and put it in Lance’s, smiling at him. “It’s okay Keith. I’ll be okay, we can still be friends, right?”

“Yes… please…” Keith squeezed Lance’s hand, but reached out for Shiro with the other hand.

“I should go… I just wanted to see you.” Shiro hugged Keith again then turned to leave.

“You’ll tell me, tell me what happened, someday, right?” Keith asked before Shiro reached for the door.

“Someday. And maybe someday you and Lance will tell me how you two go together.” Then Shiro was gone.

Lance pulled Keith in for a tight hug. “Fuck, that was…”

“Shiro… he’s been alive this entire time…” Keith sobbed. “He still loves me…”

“How could he not?” Lance kissed the side of his head. “Shiro will be okay, we all will be.”

“I’m never going to let anyone take this from me… not again.” Keith pulled away to look at Lance through his bangs. “I love you so much.”

Lance pressed their lips together and moved his bangs out of his eyes. “I love you.”


End file.
